Method of coating wood products.



KARL E. WIGKSTROM, OF WHITEHALL, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF COATING WOOD PRODUCTS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, KARL E. WICKSTROM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Whitehall, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Coating Wood Products; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a method of coating wood products, the method being especially valuable in conjunction with coating and varnishing musical instruments such as violins or like instruments it being desirable that the varnish applied to the violin shall not become so intimately connected with the instrument that it in effect is homogeneous therewith; it being desirable on the other hand that the varnish be in fact practically a separate coat, not chemically or otherwise so connected to the instrument that it makes a close adherence to and a more or less irremovable coating for the instrument such that it will not chip therefrom but adhere so closely as to interfere with the proper vibration and tone thereof. My invention consists in a method of coating and finishing instruments of this character such that the varnish applied is in reality a continuous'but separated finish-,

ing coat, not interfering with the vibration and tone of the instrument yet, atthe same time, giving very thorough and complete finish to the instrument. p

In the carrying out of my method'beeswax is melted and applied to the wood, which must first be warmed so that the wax as it strikes the wood retains its liquid form for a time and does not solidify as it would if the wood was cold. After the application of the beeswax in this manner to the wood all surplus wax is rubbed off, the pores of the wood being filled with beeswax to a slight depth.

Mastic dissolved in alcohol is next applied to the waxed wood with a brush which, after it has become thoroughly dried, is rubbed with fine sand paper to make the coating even, after which another coating of Specification of Letters Patent.

is applied upon the Patented an at, sm.

Application filed May 10, 1917. Serial No. 167,739.

the same matter is put on. As many coats may be put on as desired though in practice three coats are amply sufiicient. sired color for the instrument is dissolved 1n alcohol and put in turpentine and is then spread on the gum mastic coating until the desired depth of color is bad.

The finishing coat consists of a well known formula such as mastic, 20grams; copal, 10 grams; linseed oil, 12 c. c.; and turpentine or similar essence, 100 c. c. This coloring coat forming a preferred finishing coat for the instrument. Between the beeswax and the remaining ingredients there is no afiinity, chemical or physical, such as would cause a combination or adherence between them. The coating applied upon the beeswax accordingly is capable of chipping and will not obstruct vibration of the instrument.

This method Of-COEltlIlg may be applied to all musical instruments but is, of course,

especially applicable to violins. Besides interposing itself between the wood and the outer coating, the beeswax serves to protect the wood from dry rot and, in practice, I

Y prefer to also coat the inside of the instruand then applying over said wax an outer finishing varnishing coat, substantially as descri d.

2. The method of coating wood products which consists in first warming the wood, then applying a melted wax thereto, then removing the excess of wax, and then a pplying over said wax an outer finishing varnishing coat, substantiallv as described.

3. The method of coating wood products which consists in applying melted beeswax to the wood, the wood having first been warmed, then removing the excess of wax, then applying varnishing coats and coloring matter, and finishing with a varnish coat, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

KARL E. IVICKSTROM.

The de- 

